Delap ready for the fight ahead

Rory Delap finally made his Sunderland debut almost a month after joining from Southampton and declared himself ready and willing for a relegation battle many of his colleagues have written off, writes Stuart Rayner.

Rory Delap finally made his Sunderland debut almost a month after joining from Southampton and declared himself ready and willing for a relegation battle many of his colleagues have written off, writes Stuart Rayner.

Minutes before manager Mick McCarthy described relegation as "the seemingly inevitable", his newest signing dismissed such talk.

"I don't think we have to look to next season and accept anything," he said after coming on as a half-time substitute in Saturday's 1-0 defeat at Birmingham City.

"If you do, we might as well pack in."

If the Black Cats are to achieve the seemingly impossible, matches like Saturday's present an ideal opportunity to collect points and Delap admitted his new team had missed out.

"We had a great chance because it was Birmingham," the Carlisle-born utility player admitted. With 11 games left, Sunderland are 16 points adrift of West Bromwich Albion and safety. Even so, Delap, part of the last team to finish bottom of the Premiership, has been impressed by the spirit at Sunderland.

"The camp is good considering the position," said the Republic of Ireland international.

"I knew a couple of the lads, the gaffer and Taff (assistant manager Ian Evans). I did not think they would have a club with low morale and that has proved to be the case.

"The lads will go golfing, racing or paint-balling. Just something to change the scenery which you need sometimes."

Delap was relieved to pull on a Sunderland shirt but admitted he is not yet ready for 90 minutes.

He said: "It was nice to be finally involved because it seems ages ago when I signed. I don't think I could last a full game but the gaffer thought I could do a job from the bench."